‘Do something cool to bring in the new year’
Despite a forecast of –12 C temperatures — it could feel like –19 C — next Saturday, the organizer for the annual polar bear dip in Chippawa still expects between 75 and 100 brave souls to take part in the annual tradition.
“That’s part of the appeal to it, it’s something extreme, it’s something you can do, it’s kind of like a bragging thing, ‘Look what I did,’” said Troy Roberts, organizer of the seventh annual Chippawa Polar Bear Dip.
“We kind of advertise it: Do something cool to bring in the new year.”
Roberts said the dip takes place at the Chippawa boat ramp on Lyons Creed Road on the first Saturday in January. He said people who take the plunge will raise money for the Chippawa Public Docks Committee and its various local projects which restore, enhance and provide accessible and inviting public docks and parkland along the Welland River (Chippawa Creek) for the benefit of the community.
Registration is $15 a person, with prizes for best costumes and most sponsorship money raised.
Scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m., it will also feature a tug of war tournament featuring volunteer firefighters.
Roberts said people who want to take part in the dip can contact the committee via Facebook (ChippawaPublicDocks), at chippawapdc.ca or by visiting a preregistration event Thursday at Sal’s Pizzeria in Chippawa between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Roberts said this is the second year he is organizing the dip, and will be his third year participating.
“Last year I believe was –20 C with the wind chill, so that was, by far, the coldest I’ve done it in,” he said.
“Funny enough, when you first hit the water, it was actually warmer than the air, so it didn’t feel quite as bad until you got about halfway in and then you realized, OK, it’s not summer time anymore.”
Roberts said Niagara Trailers will donate a couple of heated trailers for the committee to use during the event.
“Last year was the first year we put heated tents out there for the spectators and anybody that started to feel a little too cold.”
He said the committee has been around for seven years, having constructed two docks — one on Front Street and the other one on Lyons Creek Road.
“This year our goal is to raise enough money to help us put in a kayak launch beside the boat launch. Everybody’s been trying to use the launch for everything, and unfortunately boaters want right of access and so do kayakers, so we felt it’s time that we kind of put in a secondary dock.”
Roberts said the committee canvasses a lot of big sponsors and “this year people have been very generous, so hopefully if we get a good turnout we’re able to start the project this spring.”